Government Restructuring Expert for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)

Government Restructuring Expert for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)

1. Background:

Iraq is a federal state comprised of 18 provinces or governorates. Within Iraq, Kurdistan is a semi-autonomous region in the northern part of the country comprised of three governorates, Duhok, Erbil and Sulaimanyah governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The Iraqi TVET system has formal and non-formal components administered by different government ministries;

§ Vocational Education is provided by Ministry of Education (MoE) to secondary students (grades 10 to 12).

§ Technical Education is provided by Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) through the Technical Institutes which offer two-year programmes leading to a technical diploma and the Polytechnic Universities which offer 4-year programme leading to a technical Bachelor (BA, B.Sc. and B.Eng.).

§ The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) runs a large number of training centres in specialised centres all over the country.

§ A number of other ministries and institutions such as the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, and the Ministry of Oil either operate institutes or run vocational courses dedicated to different purposes and target groups.

The MoE is responsible for establishing and managing vocational schools and has responsibility for elaboration of the educational policy; planning and monitoring of implementation; curriculum development; management of teachers and other educational personnel; educational research and innovation; development of standards for vocational guidance and counselling; development of standards for assessment and examinations; and coordination and cooperation with local, national and international partners and stakeholders.

The MoHESR sets higher education policy and supervises the administration and organization of the higher education system. In the Kurdistan, the MoHESR also administers Polytechnic Universities and Technical Institutes.

MOLSA is responsible for all aspects of labour market training delivery and management in a large number of training centres workshops in specialised centres all over the country.

The Kurdistan Regional Government has strongly established traditions and institutional arrangements that define how the different strands of the TVET system are managed. Government rules and regulations tend to be rigid and based on highly centralised approaches to management with little autonomy devolved to more local levels. Furthermore, management procedures often lack transparency and are not sufficiently well developed to serve the TVET planning and decision-making process. There is lack of coordination between the different ministries operating in the TVET sector with regard to policy setting and strategy development. The private sector, social partners and civil society are largely absent from the TVET sector and there are not appropriate mechanisms to facilitate their participation.

Besides a dysfunctional governance structure, the TVET system in Iraq suffers from many years of insufficient policy development and limited budget allocation. Some symptoms of the current situation are poor and obsolete educational infrastructure and equipment, irrelevance of curricula in relation to labour market requirements, lack of substantial practical training, fragmentation of responsibilities into different ministries, very low quality of teachers with no updated knowledge and skills, decreasing number of students, weak or inexistent vocational career guidance orientation and counselling, inadequate opportunities for youth and adults in life-long professional education and training, weak organizational structures and partnerships, and inefficient resource mobilization, distribution and utilization.

In order to address these issues, over the past few years the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has shown renewed interest in improving the TVET system and adopted several national policies that support the expansion and improvement of TVET opportunities.

To support the KRG (and also the GoI) on these on-going efforts, UNESCO with funds of the European Union is currently implementing the project ´Reforming TVET in Iraq´ which aims at increasing access to and improving the quality, relevance and responsiveness of the TVET system to the needs of the labour market and transform TVET in a key driver for Iraq’s economic growth, increased employment and improved social cohesion.

TVET is a complex policy area, situated at the intersection of education, training, social, economic and labour market policies. It is expected to address a range of issues such as the present and future skill demands of the economy; individual citizens’ needs for short- and long-term training and lifelong learning opportunities, employability and personal development; and society’s requirement for active citizens among others. As such, successful TVET systems and their reforms should be based on the implementation of a whole series of interconnected policies, rather than a single-policy solution.

Accordingly, UNESCO has developed a multi-dimensional Reform Project with four specific objectives:

§ Specific Objective 4: School to work transition of TVET graduates facilitated with working opportunities of vulnerable groups improved

2. Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment:

The Request for Proposals for individual consultants focuses on the first specific objective and will build on work being undertaken with the Ministry of Planning, the TVET line ministries and wider stakeholders. The following work on governance has complete or underway:

· Consultation of new governance models

· A draft overall governance structure

· A draft comprehensive policy document

· Details of proposed governance units and the division of roles between various actors

· A draft framework for employers’ participation.

During 2017-2018, UNESCO will support the detailed planning process for the design and implementation of new institutional architecture for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I). To support this process, UNESCO Office for Iraq is seeking to hire a qualified expert to support the KRG to further develop institutional arrangements for TVET

The Request for Proposals for individual consultants aims at providing the KRG with the technical assistance necessary to plan, in detail, for the establishment of new governance structure for the planning, execution and monitoring of TVET.

Particular focus should be given to strengthening the capacities of all actors during the assignment.

3. Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Director of UNESCO Office for Iraq and the direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer, the consultant shall undertake execute the following responsibilities, in close collaboration with officials in the MoP (with responsibility for the overall TVET Strategy), MoE, MoHESR, and MoLSA:

i. Support the continuing development of the TVET strategy in KR-I, by developing detailed Road Map for reform, that includes:

ii. Determine the annual planning cycle for the overall coordinating body and governance units that take direction from it

iii. Further develop the mission, function and responsibilities of the TVET governance units (including but not limited to a TVET coordinating unit, technical and vocational qualifications authority, a quality assurance and accreditation body).

iv. Listing and scoping the strategies, policies, procedures and systems required for each governance unit.

v. Map how these functions are currently arranged, including related job roles, within the three line ministries (MoL, MoHESR, MoE) and other bodies

vi. Determine the staffing needs, arrangements and responsibilities of the new TVET governance units including draft role descriptions

vii. Recommend the extent to which existing roles in the three line ministries can be transferred to and/or be seconded to, and/or can support new staffing roles, in doing so calculating and advising on the improved efficiency of the new governance arrangements

viii. Working with the MoP, determine the budget requirements (operational and investment) for the TVET governance units and outlining their delegated financial authorities

ix. Determine transitional arrangements to support migration from the current institutional arrangements to the new institutional arrangements, including a detailed work plan – in doing so learning and interacting with piloting work being undertaken in areas such the administration of the Technical and Vocational Qualification Framework (TVQF), implementation of new curriculum, capacity development planning and tracking, establishment of interim Sector Councils, and the framework for private sector participation.

x. Providing advice to officials and experts working on legislative aspects of the new TVET institutional arrangements (TVET law)

xi. Work with and develop the capacity of relevant KRG officials in the planning and execution of the planned activities

xii. Supporting the legislative process with information and advice.

4. Expected Outputs/Deliverables:

The following outputs/deliverables are required:

4.1Inception Report demonstrating understanding of the assignment and showing a proposed methodology, deliverables and an assignment action plan including activities with relevant ministries, TVET institutions and other stakeholders. The Inception Report will be delivered within 20 days of the start date of the assignment.

4.2Monthly Reports describing work undertaken, deliverables and outcomes achieved, the work plan for the coming period, project issues and risks.

4.3 In additional to Monthly Reports further specific deliverables will be agreed on the basis of the inception report and the responsibilities set out above. During Phase 1, an initial 4-month period, these will include, but are not limited to:

· A draft national TVET planning cycle

· Detailed institutional plans for the new governance units, including staffing and budget projections

· A road map for transition to new governance arrangement

5. Timeframe and Location

· Duration: 4 Months (Phase 1, only)

· Estimated started day: 1 October 2017

· Remuneration will be paid monthly according to qualifications and experience

· The consultancy will require regular missions to Erbil.

6. Language of submitted reports/ materials

Language: English

7. Qualifications and Experience

a) Advanced university degree in Education, Public Policy, Public Administration and Management, Sociology or other related field, with demonstrated relevant expertise at national and international levels in vocational education and training policies and strategies development, operationalization and implementation;

b) Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in TVET/educational policy reform and/or government restructuring

c) Proven international experience on TVET reform and/or government restructuring;

d) Working experience with senior officials within government and the private sector;

3) A lump sum amount to be charged for the assignment (excluding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs), which should be quoted in United States Dollars or in Euros. Please fill in the price schedule (Annex D).

Applicants must indicate clearly number of working days (home-based) and number of working days (field-based).

N.B. Applicants must copy the following script in their proposal and must sign underneath:

“I, the submitting individual, fully understands that this work assignment that I am applying to does not constitute an offer from UNESCO for recruitment or employment or any long-term commitment imposed on UNESCO. I agree that UNESCO will pay me against quality and timely delivery of outputs and deliverables indicated in the TOR and UNESCO has the right at its own discretion to cancel the contract should the performance be unsatisfactory or UNESCO opts to stop activities related to this work assignment by notifying me its decision in writing or by email at least by one month from the expected date of contract cancelation.

UNESCO Office for Iraq will cover all the travel cost including airline tickets (at economy class), and daily substance allowance covering costs of accommodation, meals and internal transportation in Iraq according to UNESCO’s established rules and regulations.

Applicant must indicate the estimated cost of airway ticket from home country to Erbil, Iraq (round ticket/ economy class).

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation best value for money.

NB. UNESCO will evaluate the proposed fee against its standard international consultant rates for similar assignments.

Your proposal should be submitted by e-mail no later than close of business on or before 30 August 2017 (18:00 Iraq time) at the following email addresses ONLY:

To ease the email tracing and facilitate quick processing, kindly use the following script “Submission of Proposal: TVET Governance Restructuring Expert Erbil (ref: IRQ/CFP/17/12)” in the email subject.

It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that his/ her proposal is received by the deadline.

Potential experts contacted should not construe this call for proposal in any way as an offer. However, their proposal may form the basis for an eventual contract with UNESCO.

Any expert receiving this letter is requested to acknowledge its receipt and to indicate whether or not s/he will be submitting a proposal. For this purpose, and for any requests for clarification, please contact: Bilal Hamaydah at b.hamaydah@unesco.org

Submissions will be acknowledged by email upon receipt but ONLY selected expert will receive further notification and correspondences.

Thank you for your eventual interest in this UNESCO assignment. We look forward to receiving your proposal.

To view the full Vacancy Announcement and apply, please visit the following page: